Ten Years
by 8 Navy Roses
Summary: "The setting sun was shining through the kitchen window, and the candle caught the glow, illuminating the sparkles within. With all the reverence of a priest, Linebeck set the candle next to the third glass with a soft thunk." Hero and Captain remember their missing crewmember. Fic for Phantom Hourglass's 10th Anniversary.


**Ten Years**

On the outskirts of the forest region of New Hyrule, a stone's throw away from the ocean region, a small, unassuming building sat next to the train tracks. This place was known as the Trading Shop, where conductors went to trade in treasures to pay for train parts.

In the backyard rested the trains, every kind, and size. They ranged from fully constructed carriages resting on tracks, waiting to be hooked up to an engine, to scattered parts sitting around in the dirt. They all glowed, bathed in the golden yellows of the setting sun.

Inside the building sat all manners of objects and treasures. On the shelves rested the more common objects like oversized dried grubs and crystallized honeycombs. A few rare objects sat within glass cases, under lock and key to discourage anyone's sticky fingers. 

Walking through the open doorway leading to the back, was the owner of the shop, dressed in a white shirt and black pants. Even though his ship has been docked for over five years now, he still insisted on having the title "Captain" in front of Linebeck.

Linebeck carried a couple of treasures in his hand. He began busying himself with setting them on the shelf behind the counter. One they were laid out in a manner suitable, Linebeck grabbed up a rag underneath the counter and began wiping away dust.

There was a sharp rap at the door.

"Shop's closed for the day, you'll need to come back tomorrow," Linebeck called out, not bothering to turn around.

"Not even for an old friend?"

Linebeck stopped mid-swipe, before turning around. He crossed his arms, raising one eyebrow. "Oh, so my old treasure dog can finally drag himself away from his fancy new job to visit his old captain."

Link grinned sheepishly, helmet tucked in the crook of his arm. "Well, being named as the Royal Protector of the Queen of Hyrule is a 24-hour job." The young man had hints of his former green outfit in his armor. Green peaked out from under the golden armor engraved with the Royal Crest on the breastplate and hanging from his helmet was a pointed hat.

"Bah, then how come you've finally been able to find time to come here?" Linebeck asked, stowing away his cleaning rag. He came around the front, leaning back against his counter.

"Tetra gave me special permission considering what day it is today." Link explained.

Linebeck gave a start, realization coming to him instantly. "Well damn, it's come around already?"

"Ten years today." Link said. His voice had dipped in tone. The boy had still had difficulty heading to terms with what happened all those years ago. It's hard, saying goodbye to friends. Even harder when it's forced.

Linebeck raised up a hand, gesturing for Link to follow him to the back. "I didn't forget completely, Kid. I got some items in the back for today. Get that noisy and over polished hunks of metal off you and come sit down."

Link couldn't help but laugh. "Aye, Captain Linebeck. I will." The young man followed Linebeck into the back area of the building.

This area was much more homely than the shop area. It was only three rooms. Through an open door, one could spot a large bed, looking quite comfy but still simple in design. A few random pieces of clothing were scattered across the rumpled bed covers. Across this door was a third, leading to the bathroom.

In the other room, where Linebeck and Link now stood, it was a living room, kitchen and dining area combined. Cramped, but in a good way. The area was definitely built for only one occupant to be residing in it. Maybe enough room to spare for a few people for company.

Various items were scattered about as decoration. Some items looked like important items, things that looked more befitting of being in a castle than a small, homey, train side shop. One item Link's eyes lingered on for a long while. 

"Do I have to tell you what to do for everything?" Linebeck snapped his fingers, interrupting Link's study of the area. Link forced himself to look away. "Get that armor off you and go sit down on the couch. I'll be over shortly. I need to change out of these work clothes." With that, Linebeck quickly stepped into his bedroom, closing the door behind him with a quick snap.

Link shook his head at the Captain's demanding nature but did as he was ordered.

Once the armor was off and carefully placed in a neat pile beside the doorway leading to the shop, Link was clad in a loose green tunic and white pants. Without the armor, the hero looked years younger. Closer to when he was a young boy and sailed the waters with a singular quest in mind.

Link sat down on one end of the couch, again taking the time to further examine Linebeck's home. Again, his eyes found the object that captured his gaze earlier.

It looked like nothing much. To the normal eye, it would seem worthless.

Who would want a sealed hourglass with no sand within it?

For Link and Linebeck however, the hourglass held far more sentimental value.

Linebeck walked back out, now clad in his normal navy jacket, sky-blue vest, tan pants and a red ascot. He was carrying a small, brown, cloth bag in his arms. He noticed what Link was staring at. Linebeck stepped over and carefully picked up the hourglass, breaking Link's staring.

Linebeck walked back over to where Link was sitting, setting the Phantom Hourglass in the middle of the table.

Link finally took note of Linebeck's outfit. "Now who's the one dressed up?" His voice held a teasing lit to it.

"Hardy, har, har, Kid," Linebeck said in return. He set the cloth bag on the table, setting out a bottle of whiskey and three glasses. One in front of Link, one in front of himself, and the third on the other side of the Phantom Hourglass.

Link watched silently, only raising an eyebrow when Linebeck brought out the bottle of whiskey. He didn't say anything, however. There were some occasions that it was the drink of choice. Today was one such event.

Linebeck paused for a moment, hands holding onto the side of the bag. It looked like he was looking into the bag, but his eyes were distant. Finally, Linebeck reached into the bag and, after a moment more hesitation, slowly brought out a yellow candle. The setting sun was shining through the kitchen window, and the candle caught the glow, illuminating the sparkles within.

With all the reverence of a priest, Linebeck set the candle next to the third glass with a soft thunk.

Link gave a swallow, throat suddenly closing up. He and Linebeck remained in silence for several, long moments, as the room grew darker with the setting sun.

Linebeck suddenly cleared his throat, whirling away from Link, coat ends giving a snap with the force he turned with. He banged about in the kitchen. Link pretended that the banging worked in covering up the captain's uncharacteristic sniffling.

Eventually, Linebeck returned with some matches and a bottle opener.

The match flame trembled as Linebeck lit the golden candle. It took a few tries to open the bottle of whiskey. But eventually three glasses of whiskey had been poured and the area was only illuminated by the candle.

Linebeck sat down on the couch, picking up his glass. He and Link wordlessly clinked their glasses together.

The first swig burned going down both their throats, liquid fire running down and warming them up from the inside.

After the first sip, together they began recounting the quest to each other, sometimes asking if one remembered a certain event happening. The hours carried on, glasses being refilled once empty. The third glass remained filled, no one there to drink it.

Linebeck denied ever flirting with Joanna and insisted that Jolene didn't catch up to them that many times. Link stated that he still had Linebeck's letter, now yellow with age and safely tucked away in his chest at the castle barracks. They laughed together at remembering Leaf flying full tilt into a closed door because he wasn't quite used to being free yet, and always Neri scolding them when they were being too rowdy. And both expressed how surprised they were when Oshus suddenly appeared on the Ghost Ship, explaining his true self.

However, both Captain and Hero were acutely aware of the fact that they were both avoiding one topic.

Eventually, their stories faded into somber sat in the hushed room, slowly sipping at their drinks, staring at the Phantom Hourglass, the glass now shining with the candle's flame.

Linebeck was the one who broke the silence.

"It should have been me."

Link looked to Linebeck in alarm and confusion.

The captain was hunched over, holding the glass loosely between his worn hands. Link noted that Linebeck must have refilled his glass once again, judging by the amount in Linebeck's glass and what was missing from the bottle. Linebeck was focused intently on the candle.

"That final battle? Linebeck, there was nothing-" Link's voice failed him. "She- She made her choice. We couldn't save-" Again, Link's voice cut off, throat locking up on him.

Linebeck shook his head in apparent disagreement, before downing his glass of whiskey in one go.

"It _was_ gonna be me." Linebeck's voice was low and gravely. The candlelight seemed to pronounce his high cheekbones and sunken eyes. No light shined in Linebeck's eyes.

Link was at once struck with the thought that Linebeck suddenly looked to be much older than he really was. That apparently he had gone through a very different final battle.

However, before Link could even voice any questions, Linebeck carried on.

"That final battle… She, she did _something_ , because I remember a different set of events that played out..."

" _I_ was the one possessed by Bellumbeck."

" _I_ was the one fighting you."

"And _I_ was the one who gained back control of my body, and drove the sword across my neck."

"And yet, all of a sudden, I was holding Sparkles' dead body in my arms, her blood coating my hands." Linebeck hunched over further. "And I can remember her being stuck in that hellish armor, talking about how _sorry_ she was. That she couldn't let things play out like they had. That you were gonna need _me_ , her part was finished anyway."

Link seemed frozen as Linebeck's shoulders began to shake, the captain digging his wrist of his one hand into his eyes, trying to stop the tears already beginning to spill. He could remember Ciela speaking those words. He was so confused at the time, confused and scared. He didn't understand what Ciela was talking about. But then she was saying her goodbyes and Link had realized he hesitated a moment too long, started to run forward to attack Bellum's eye-

He was too slow.

"And then she dragged that damned sword across her neck when it should have been mine!" Linebeck yelled, throwing his glass across the room.

Link jumped at the sudden crash and Linebeck yelling, bringing him out of his memories. He looked at the shattered remains of the glass before turning back to see Linebeck with his arms wrapped around his chest, body visibly shaking.

"I can feel it. Some nights when the nightmares have gone on forever." Linebeck said. His voice was dull and broken, like a piece of glass tossed against the shady shore by the rough waves. "The blade is crossing my throat, and then she's there again. Everything is black and white. She puts her hands on my armored chest, whispers "Rewind Time", and then she's the one in the armor, and I'm the one staring into her white eyes."

Linebeck hand had gone to his throat, rubbing and pulling at his ascot. It felt like it was choking him, the friction too much against his throat. Linebeck didn't remove it.

"And I just wonder… why the hell did she save me?"

Finally, words came easily to Link.

"Because she was Ciela." Link started, he got up from his chair and joined Linebeck on the couch. "And she loved us."

Linebeck gave a low, lifeless and humorless snort. His eyes had once again found the golden candle, still sparkling in the candlelight. Wax was beginning to run down the side and onto the table. The captain couldn't find it in himself to care. 

"We were her family, Linebeck. You, me, and her. Ciela was a mother to me just as much as you are a father to me." Link explained in a soft tone. He put one arm around Linebeck's shoulder, leaning his head against Linebeck's. "She watched over us both, protecting us both. She made sure that I wasn't gonna die in those temples, and that you weren't gonna have a breakdown at the crazy events happening to us every day." 

Linebeck didn't resist being dragged into Link's embrace. In fact, after a few moments, he was practically collapsed against the young man, seemingly drained from finally confessing his story. "So Sparkles and I's fights, that was her showing her love for me."

"In true Ciela fashion when it came to you. Think about it, how many of those fights were over something actually serious? They were petty, and harmless, her way of providing normality for you because that is what came naturally for her to your emotionally stunted ways."

"Ah, but now I'm beginning to ramble. But what I'm trying to say, we two gave Ciela the one thing she wanted, after not knowing who she was or where she belonged after so long. We gave her a sense of self after forgetting who she was."

"We gave her a home."

"And she wasn't gonna let that be taken from her again, not if she had any choice in the matter. Because of how much she loved us." Link finished, gripping Linebeck's shoulders tight. Tears of his own were spilling out of his eyes.

"She was a fool in that regard," Linebeck said, still focus on the shining candle. More tears shined in his eyes, glittering in the candlelight.

"Yeah, but she was our fool." Link choked out, giving a watery laugh.

They were silent for a long while, eyes focused on the candle before them, both wishing that it was their fallen comrade instead.

When the candle had melted another inch, further pooling onto the table, Linebeck was the one who broke the silence.

"I…. still remember…... Sparkles going off on me the first time I drank around you... saying that I was going to be a bad influence on you, that I needed to set better examples, going on and on and on in her squeaky voice about how she was going to find a better ship captain, one that was more respectable, and would be considerate of their crewmates." Linebeck recounted. He had started out slow, sounding almost unsure of himself, but as he continued to speak, his voice grew stronger.

Link let out a laugh, stuttering and tear-filled. "Oh my Goddesses, how I remember that. I was standing behind her, looking at her like she was mad, because we just got back from running all over Ember Island and I had been mowing down monsters left and right with the skill of a seasoned warrior, and she was worried about you _drinking_ in front of me." Link felt himself suddenly collapsing into a fit of giggles. "I mean, she knew I lived on a pirate ship before this. What did she think the older crew members drank? Tea?"

Linebeck found himself following Link's lead, grinning himself. "Aye, I remember you giving her that face. You looked so perplexed, I ended up beginning to laugh in the middle of her tirade."

"And of course, that only made her fume more at you." Link remembered. "But you kept laughing at her and she eventually grew so flustered that she tried to fly off."

"And then she did the same thing that Leaf did, smacked right into the closed door and flopped to the deck." Linebeck did a poor attempt at miming his words, give a low whistle as his hand fell to his lap.

The pair returned to their stories, finally allowing themselves to speak their missing member's name, and remember the golden fairy from before.

The night continued to pass on, until the starry skies gave way to dawn's early morning light.

As the sun rose, it began to shine through the front windows, illuminating the shop front in soft pinks and yellows. The glow seemed to grow brighter and brighter, bundling together in one spot.

Then it moved, translucent pink, bare feet silently moving across the worn shop floor, slowly taking shape as it moved. Ghostly fingers formed and trailed along the merchandise, leaving behind glowing sparkles that Linebeck would continue to find and curse for weeks after. 

The figure floated to be in the doorway, where the captain and hero had fallen asleep during their storytelling.

Linebeck was reclined against the back of the couch, head tipped forward as he snored. Link's head was resting against Linebeck's shoulders, body twisted awkwardly since his feet still rested on the floor. Linebeck's one arm was still wrapped around Link. They both looked at peace.

The figure smiled and walked toward them. A pair of pink and golden wings finally formed behind her.

When Linebeck awoke, his head was resting against the back of the couch and Link was using his legs as a pillow, legs curled up on the couch.

Linebeck looked around. He had woken up with the feeling that there was someone else in the room, watching the both of them.

A whiff of smoke reached Linebeck's nose, and the captain looked in alarm toward the candle, realizing that he nor Link had blown it out before falling asleep.

The golden candle was smoking like someone had recently blown out the flame. Next to it rested the glass, now empty of its whiskey.

Linebeck was ready to believe that someone had broken into his house until he noticed that someone had dug their fingers through the wax, leaving behind a small and simple drawing of a fairy and the symbol for courage, the small crevices now holding pink sparkles among the gold.

The captain tipped his head back, squeezing shut his eyes as he rubbed at his face with his free hand. He looked back at the golden candle and doodled fairy, throat suddenly feeling tight once more. (He would complain to Link every time he saw the boy about the wax on the table, but Linebeck could never find it in himself to actually clean up the melted candle.)

"Guess you're still watching over us, Ciela…"

 **End**

 **Hard to imagine that ten years ago, Phantom Hourglass was released. I remember briefly playing a demo version in the store and then I think a few months later, finally buying the game myself. Phantom Hourglass was the first Zelda game I properly played and then actually beat. It still took me a year or so before I actually beat the game, hitting a couple of tricky puzzles and difficult bosses (Seriously, did anyone think of actually closing the DS for transferring the courage symbol to your own map?)**

 **But this game was the one that opened me up to the world of fanfiction and the Phantom Hourglass fandom back in the middle of 8th grade, after trying once again to find a solution to the Ghost Ship's final puzzle.  
**

 **I read for a couple of months, and then finally dove into writing my own. In this, I found a fellow author and friend in Icearrows. For years, we reviewed each other's works, gushing over our stories that we were crafting and cursing the long months of writer's block. She has been what has kept me going for all these years, still working on my first story/series.**

 **Without Phantom Hourglass, I never would have found such an engaging hobby, and most importantly, I never would have found a wonderful friend. I hope your first year of college goes well, Icearrows, I know you're gonna kill it while working on your English major.  
**

 **Thanks ya'll for being here for ten years. Phantom Hourglass and this tiny, tiny community we have will always have a special place in my heart.**

 **~Roses**


End file.
